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Puerto Vallarta sign

10 Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Fun, free, beachy and beautiful: this is Puerto Vallarta. If you’re considering going, or maybe you’re already there, these are 10 things I did that you might like too. I spent a month in Puerto Vallarta and in that time I was able to participate in several adventures. Below are 10 of the most popular places and activities I found in the city. You’re sure you find at least one you’ll love too. Click on the titles to read individual...

Rene in Yelapa

Finding the Hidden Yelapa Waterfall

In Yelapa, near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, there are two waterfalls, but one is secret. Everyone will tell you about the Yelapa waterfall, but they’re all talking about the one in town. There’s another bigger, better waterfall if you dare to hike to it. I didn’t learn about the secret waterfall until after I met my Airbnb group at the Malecon pier to tour Yelapa. It was just me, the guide, Carla, and two Americans from Colorado as we made our...

Quimixto waterfall

Hiking to a Puerto Vallarta Waterfall in Quimixto

Finding a Puerto Vallarta waterfall isn’t that hard, but getting there can be an adventure. And that’s where the fun is. In the jungle, waterfalls are pretty common, but they’re not always easy to get to. The Quimixto waterfall, however, is one of the most popular and easiest to see. I use the term “easiest” relatively. If you’re staying in Puerto Vallarta, you must take a bus, a boat and maybe a mule or a hike to get there, but...

Death Valley

One Day and Night Alone in Death Valley

On my way to Death Valley were palm trees and Joshua Trees. After that, there was nothing except desert sage covered in dust, making everything a monotone beige. Then there wasn’t even that. One can’t help but think of the famous Christian biblical passage when driving into Death Valley, “…into the valley of the shadow of death….” Or is that just me? My drive into Death Valley National Park was about five hours long through the Mohave Desert, so the...

Rene next to a felled Redwood tree

Absorbing the Energy of the Immortal Redwood Trees

Redwoods are the closest thing to immortal that we have on this Earth. On my road trip from Oregon and along the California Coast, I made frequent stops to hike along the many redwood groves and absorb the energy these immortal trees give off. I’d heard of Redwood National Park and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, but somehow it didn’t occur to me that these magnificent trees would grow elsewhere, but they do. Many remain in small groves all...

Hoh Rainforest Trees

How the Hoh Rainforest is an Olympic Peninsula Dream

The Pacific Northwest is wet, so it shouldn’t have surprised me that it contains the Hoh Rainforest, but it’s just not something I expected in the USA. The Hoh Rain Forest is one of four rain forests on the Olympic Peninsula. But it is the only World Heritage Site and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It’s also one of the most incredible places you can visit in the Pacific Northwest – a place where there are many unique places. I drove there...

Mount Rainier with pink flowers

Visiting a Live Volcano in Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park is the only park in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest with a large active stratovolcano. That it’s on the “Decade Volcano List” because of the high probability of an eruption soon makes it an especially exciting park to visit. One of my favorite things about national parks is the area around them. The drive to Mount Rainier took me mainly through small towns and two-lane highways. I passed through industrial seaport areas and many...

Rene on Yellowstone Safari

10 Yellowstone Animals Spotted on a Safari

If you want to see Yellowstone animals, you should book a safari. That’s my best advice. Seeing animals in Yellowstone National Park either happens by accident or intention or otherwise not at all. Since I didn’t see any by accident, I took matters into my own hands and booked a safari. Most of us assume that you will see animals in Yellowstone, but the truth is the park is big, probably much bigger than you think. Many people stay on...

Utah national park Bryce Canyon

Which Utah National Park is Best? It Depends on What You Value

“Mighty Five” Utah National Parks Ranked I spent five weeks and visited every Utah national park. They call them the “Mighty Five.” What surprised me was that I expected to like the most popular parks most, but I liked them least. Other parks I’d never heard of turned out to be the best. This is my impression of the parks as someone who likes to hike and enjoy the solitude of the wilderness. If you want those things too, you’ll...